Training camp is less than a week old but there have been a lot of developments already. Fans who attend Monday night’s open practice will see largely the same roster from last season but a lot of changes in how new coach Don Nelson is using those players.

“There are a lot of differences from last year,” forward Mike Dunleavy said. “The main thing is that every play, every situation, Coach Nelson wants something specific done. Everyone has a defined role.”

Two of the biggest changes will be Dunleavy playing a point/power forward type role and Troy Murphy moving over from power forward to center. There will be many times when Nelson puts guards Baron Davis, Jason Richardson and Monta Ellis on the floor with only Dunleavy and Murphy up front.

“We are going to try and run,” Murphy said. “We didn’t have an identity last year, but this year we are going to put a lot of skilled guys out there and make teams try and stop us.”

While Murphy’s job description won’t change too much -- he’ll still be looked to make long jumpers and crash the boards --- Dunleavy does have some added weight on his shoulders.

“I have to make plays and make the right decisions, but I also have to take on more of a leadership role,” the fifth-year veteran said. “And I embrace that.”

On the first day of practice this week, Nelson picked Dunleavy to be a team captain, along with Davis and Richardson.

“Anybody who has the ball in their hands a lot needs to be a leader,” Nelson said. “He's going to be my point forward, and I think it's important that he start to develop into that area.”

Dunleavy will give point guard Baron Davis breaks from initiating the offense, allowing Davis to run off screens, spot up for jumpers or post up guards down low.
Dunleavy will be utilized more as a point forward in Nelson's offense. (warriors.com photo)
“He’s got unique skills for a 6-foot-9 guy, and I think Nelson is going to push him over the top.” Davis said. “This system is great for him.”

Nelson has made clear that he is not looking for Dunleavy to be one of the team’s top scorers, and people who judge him by his scoring average or shooting percentage are making a mistake. Likewise, coaches who had Dunleavy waiting for a kick-out pass on the perimeter and launching 3-pointers were also not doing him any favors.
“I never cared about (my scoring), but people looked at my average and said I wasn’t producing,” he said. “But my value should not be in my scoring. We have plenty of scorers on this team.”

Must of his shots this season should come in transition, and the fewer 3-pointers he takes the higher last year’s long-distance percentage should climb.

“The only thing I've been disappointed in is that I haven't been making as many open shots as I'd like to, because that's where they were putting me, in a position to spread the floor and shoot 3-pointers,” Dunleavy said. “But I need to do other things, because when those shots aren't falling, it's just one-dimensional. To be able to handle the ball a little bit more and be more involved would be good.”
The Warriors will look to exploit position mismatches by playing Murphy at center. (warriors.com photo)

He will have plenty of room to operate in as Murphy will help spread the floor by dragging opposing centers out to the perimeter to guard him.

“People make a big deal of what position a guy plays,” Dunleavy said, “but with Murphy it’s about what type of players are teams going to guard him with. He’s going to be playing his game, just shooting over slower centers now. It’s not going to change his mindset at all.”

Murphy averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds a game last year. While he does have different defensive responsibilities this season, Murphy doesn’t think the Warriors’ smaller lineup will be a liability. Not at all.

“We are going to be so potent offensively that it will cancel out any size differential,” he said.

“We have so many weapons, especially with Baron and Mike running the offense. Mike has a great basketball IQ, and he's going to know where everybody is on the floor, and he’s going to get Baron some better shots too.

“The beauty of his game is that he doesn’t have to score to impact the game.”

“The only thing I've been disappointed in is that I haven't been making as many open shots as I'd like to, because that's where they were putting me, in a position to spread the floor and shoot 3-pointers,” Dunleavy said

Classic Dumbleavy quote. He missed shots because of "where they were putting me". It's always somebody else's fault why Dumbleavy is garbage.
I would respect him so much more if he just said, "You know, I played like crap last season, I know where I am lacking and I practicing every day to improve upon those areas"...

“The only thing I've been disappointed in is that I haven't been making as many open shots as I'd like to, because that's where they were putting me, in a position to spread the floor and shoot 3-pointers,” Dunleavy said

Classic Dumbleavy quote. He missed shots because of "where they were putting me". It's always somebody else's fault why Dumbleavy is garbage. I would respect him so much more if he just said, "You know, I played like crap last season, I know where I am lacking and I practicing every day to improve upon those areas"...

I would also be he has to shoot better, pass better, rebound better, defend better and stop fukin whining like the little bich he is!

“The only thing I've been disappointed in is that I haven't been making as many open shots as I'd like to, because that's where they were putting me, in a position to spread the floor and shoot 3-pointers,” Dunleavy said

Classic Dumbleavy quote. He missed shots because of "where they were putting me". It's always somebody else's fault why Dumbleavy is garbage. I would respect him so much more if he just said, "You know, I played like crap last season, I know where I am lacking and I practicing every day to improve upon those areas"...

Yeah, almost everytime he opens his mouth to say something, he's blaming other people for the team's woes. It's sickening.

“The only thing I've been disappointed in is that I haven't been making as many open shots as I'd like to, because that's where they were putting me, in a position to spread the floor and shoot 3-pointers,” Dunleavy said

Classic Dumbleavy quote. He missed shots because of "where they were putting me". It's always somebody else's fault why Dumbleavy is garbage. I would respect him so much more if he just said, "You know, I played like crap last season, I know where I am lacking and I practicing every day to improve upon those areas"...

Yeah, almost everytime he opens his mouth to say something, he's blaming other people for the team's woes. It's sickening.

He is blaming himself He's saying he missed the shots that he was expected to make in the role he was put in to spread the floor and he was disappointed in himself for not making them